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UCSB  LIBRSKY 


HISTORY 


CROSS    OF    CHRIST. 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


CROSS  OF   CHRIST. 


BY   THE   REV.    WILLIAM   R.   ALGER. 


"Crux  Vera 
Non  in  ligno,     Sed  in  Signo, 

Ducis 

Victoria, 

Crucis 

Gloria, 

PriYatio  Titae  Donatio." 

Dear  Lord !  who  thine  own  cross  to  death  did'st  bear, 
Teach  us  its   spirit,  and  thy  life,   to  share. 


CAMBRIDGE    AND    BOSTON: 

JAMES      Ml    NK"I.     AND      COIIFANT. 

1851. 


Entered  according  to  an  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by 
JAMES  MCNEOB  &  COMPANY,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District 
Court  of  the  District  of  Mass. 


JOHN   FORD, 

PRINTER,   CAMBRIDOEPORT.   MASS. 


TO 

THE   MOUNT   PLEASANT 
CONGREGATIONAL 

SOCIETY, 
THIS  LITTLE  WORK 

IS 
AFFECTIONATELY    INSCRIBED 

BY 
THEIR  PASTOR. 


My   God   replied, 

"Jesns  once  died 

Thy  soul  to  save 

Then  rose  to  heaven." 

Die,  then,  doubt,  sloth,  impurity  and  pride; 
With  all  your  fearful,  deadly  brood,  go  hide 

In    sin's    last  grave. 

Then  rise,  heart's  love, 

To  live  by  truth 

With     Christ     above 

In      endless      youth ; 

And  when  death  calls 

And  this  frame  falls, 

My    soul    shall   rise 

Beyond   the    skies, 
And  being  pardoned,  crowned,  by  him, 
Shall  praise  him  with  an  endless  hymn. 


PREFACE. 


THE  idea  of  this  little  book  was  suggested  to  the 
author  by  perusing  "  CRUCIANA,"  an  interesting  work, 
by  John  Holland,  published  in  England  in  1835.  Some 
of  the  quotations,  and  some  of  the  facts  embodied  in 
the  following  sketch,  were  derived  from  that  source. 
But  the  plan,  execution,  uses  of  the  present  essay  are, 
in  most  respects,  so  different  from  those  of  Mr.  Hol- 
land's volume,  that  no  further  acknowledgment  or  refer- 
ence to  his  work  seems  to  be  required.  The  hope  of 
the  author  in  presenting  this  humble  production  to  the 
public,  is  that  it  may  awaken  Christian  feelings  in  those 
who  read  it,  by  showing  how  the  Cross  of  Christ  justly 
appeals  to  the  reason,  the  imagination,  and  the  heart  of 
a  living  believer.  "  Cruciana  "  is  a  collection  of  miscel- 
laneous information  and  literature  concerning  the  Cross. 
"  Justi  Lipsi  De  Grace," — a  Latin  book  printed  in  1598 — 
is  a  literal  account,  with  engravings,  of  the  Cross,  its 
various  shapes,  and  its  use  as  an  instrument  of  torture 
in  different  countries  and  times.  The  present  work  gives 
the  symbolic  history  of  that  now  hallowed  object — the 


lessons  taught  by  its  fortunes  and  uses.  This  field  the 
writer  believes  to  have  been  hitherto  unoccupied ;  and 
it  seemed  to  him  so  capable,  that  he  trusts  a  sufficient 
apology  will  be  found  in  what  he  has  written,  for  pub- 
lishing it. 

W.  R.  A. 
Roxbury,  March  29<A,  1851. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


"  The  preaching  of  the  Cross." 

[PAUL. 

TRACING  the  history  of  the  Cross 
will  help  us  to  see  its  moral  meanings 
and  feel  its  spiritual  power.  It  was 
a  significant  token  for  ages  before 
Christianity  adopted  and  sanctified  it. 
It  was  sometimes  viewed  in  antiquity 
as  the  sign  of  a  man  standing  with 
outstretched  arms.  More  than  one 
ancient  nation  honored  it  as  a  symbol 
of  the  Universe,  on  account  of  its 
pointing  to  the  four  quarters  of  the 
compass.  The  Druids  were  accustom- 
ed to  consecrate  to  the  object  of  their 


12  HISTORY   OF   THE 

worship  the  most  majestic  oak  of  the 
grove,  which  they  stripped  of  all  its 
limbs,  except  the  two  largest  so  left 
as  to  form  a  gigantic  Cross  towering 
in  the  mystic  ring  at  high  moon,  with 
a  meaning  unknown  to  us.  It  is  sin- 
gular that  the  earliest  use  of  the 
Cross  made  known  to  us,  was  a  sym- 
bol of  immortality.  The  crux  ansata 
was  thus  employed  in  the  temples 
and  religious  rites  of  the  Egyptians. 
It  was  also  used  as  a  sacred  emblem 
by  some  of  the  Hindoo  sects,  inde- 
pendently of  the  establishment  of 
Christianity,  as  was  discovered,  to 
their  great  astonishment,  by  the  first 
Christians  who  visited  the  East  for 
missionary  purposes. 

Let  this  striking  coincidence  be  re- 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  13 

garded  as  an  unintended  yet  pro- 
found symbol,  prophetic  of  final  union. 
The  true  destiny  of  all  men  is  one; 
the  genuine  aim  of  all  religions  is 
one ;  the  God  towards  whom  all  as- 
pire is  one ;  the  Redeemer,  all  need 
to  remove  their  sins  and  supply  their 
wants,  is  one.  The  Orientals  were 
farther  advanced  in  thought  and  in- 
ward experience ;  the  Christians  were 
in  closer  connection  with  the  external 
providence  of  God.  The  use  of  the 
Cross  among  the  former,  let  it  be  sup- 
posed, then,  was  as  the  emblem  of  an 
abstract  desire  after  God,  and  a  spec- 
ulative doctrine  of  the  future  life : 
among  the  latter,  let  us  consider  it  as 
the  corresponding  emblem  of  an  in- 
carnate revelation  of  God,  and  a  his- 


14  HISTORY    OF   THE 

toric  reality  of  the  resurrection. 
What  those  priestly  contemplators 
intellectually  discerned  and  hoped, 
Christians  have  sensibly  realized,  seen 
with  their  eyes,  and  handled  with 
their  hands ;  for  the  Word  was  made 
flesh,  and  dwelt  among  them,  and  they 
beheld  his  glory.  And  as  the  Holy 
Being  who,  uniting  the  human  and 
the  Divine  in  his  own  person,  brought 
God  down  to  men,  and  lifted  men  up 
to  God,  was  "the  Desire  of  all  Na- 
tions," so  shall  he  finally  be  acknowl- 
edged as  the  rightful  Lord  of  all 
hearts,  and  have  for  "  his  inheritance 
the  utmost  bounds  of  the  heathen." 
Then  shall  the  mighty  Family  of  the 
East,  brought  to  the  full  truth,  and 
kneeling  before  the  ancient  symbol 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  15 

of  their  faith,  the  Cross,  planted  in 
the  rising  sun  ;  and  the  great  Family 
of  the  West,  nurtured  by  the  Gospel, 
and  kneeling  before  the  modern  sym- 
bol of  their  faith,  the  Cross,  planted 
in  the  setting  sun  — join  around  the 
earth  in  one  swelling  ascription  of 
praise,  through  the  common  name  of 
Christ,  unto  the  infinite  Father  of 
them  all. 

Let  us  go  back  to  the  earthly  days 
of  our  Saviour,  and  follow  downwards 
the  account  of  the  Roman  and  Jew- 
ish cross.  It  was  an  instrument  com- 
posed of  two  transverse  pieces  of 
wood,  upon  which  the  vilest  capital 
criminals  were  nailed  by  their  hands 
and  feet  to  die,  in  expiation  of  their 
offences.  Common  offenders,  who 


16  HISTORY   OF   THE 

were  condemned  to  death,  were  exe- 
cuted in  a  less  barbarous  manner. 
Crucifixion  was  reserved  for  the  most 
degraded  outcasts  and  slaves,  those 
guilty  of  the  most  aggravated  and 
terrible  crimes,  —  the  very  dregs  of 
the  time.  Cicero,  painting  the  illegal 
and  foul  deeds  of  Verres,  the  tyrant 
of  Sicily,  with  the  darkest  colors  of 
his  rhetoric,  charges  him  not  so  much 
with  presuming  to  murder  an  inno- 
cent man,  as  with  daring  to  crucify  a 
Roman  citizen.  The  cross,  according- 
ly, was  held  in  utter  abhorence,  as 
the  badge  of  an  executioner,  signifi- 
cant of  the  expiring  agonies  of  the 
worst  of  men,  a  token  of  ignominy, 
abomination,  and  loathing.  It  was 
used  for  this  purpose,  and  regarded  in 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  17 

this  manner,  for  several  centuries 
among  various  nations.  A  host  of 
wretched  miscreants  had  perished  on 
it.  Many  a  poor  victim,  too,  who  de- 
served a  better  fate,  had  suffered  on 
it.  It  had  come  to  be  generally  con- 
sidered as  the  very  emblem  of  defeat- 
ed crime,  and  disgraceful  punishment : 
a  synonyme  for  all  that  was  at  once 
powerless  and  execrable. 

Such  was  its  history  until  Jesus 
Christ  died  on  it,  and  then  how  it  was 
changed !  In  an  instant,  as  it  were, 
it  became  the  most  glorious  instru- 
ment, the  most  resistless  symbol  that 
will  ever  be  known.  That  such  a 
Being  should  have  died  on  it,  in  such 
a  spirit,  and  for  such  a  purpose  —  that 
the  spotless  image  of  God,  from  self- 

2 


18  HISTORY   OF  THE 

sacrificing  love,  for  the  enforcement 
of  divine  truth,  should  have  died  on 
it  —  this  completely  changed  its  sig- 
nificance and  its  associations.  The 
fanatic  Jews,  and  enraged  Romans  — 
blinded  murderers,  not  knowing  what 
they  did  —  reared  a  cross  upon  Cal- 
vary. It  stood  there,  as  many  a  one 
had  stood  before,  sight  of  horror. 
But  he  who  was  about  to  die  thereon, 
without  a  parallel,  was  "  The  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of 
mankind."  They  transfixed  his  bleed- 
ing limbs,  and  "  lifted  "  him  "  up," 
ignorant  that  he  should  thus  be  en- 
abled to  "  Draw  all  men  unto  Him." 
Love  of  man,  and  trust  of  God,  were 
blended  in  his  features,  and  forgive- 
ness fell  from  his  lips,  while,  an  ever- 


CROSS   OP  CHRIST.  19 

memorable  spectacle,  he  hung  there 
dying.  At  last  he  raised  his  fainting 
head,  and  exclaimed,  "  It  is  finished." 
And  immediately  the  dark  and  shame- 
ful cross  was  transfigured  and  irradi- 
ate, the  blood-stained  wood  beamed 
with  a  glory  that  pales  all  the  splen- 
dor of  the  world.  It  was  henceforth 
to  be  the  accredited  symbol  of  God's 
love,  and  Christ's  divinity,  and  man's 
redemption,  and  death's  overthrow,  and 
Heaven's  immortal  brightness. 

Nothing  can,  better  illustrate  the 
change  wrought  in  the  meaning  and 
associations  of  the  cross,  and  the  pow- 
er flung  around  it  by  the  martyrdom 
of  Jesus,  than  the  intense  enthusiasm 
that  ran  through  all  Christendom, 
when,  in  the  fourth  century,  it  was 


20  HISTORY   OF  THE 

reported  that  Helena,  the  mother  of 
the  reigning  Emperor,  having  en> 
ployed  some  laborers  to  dig  at  Golgo- 
tha, had  found  the  very  cross  on 
which  the  Saviour  suffered,  It  was 
publicly  shown  during  the  celebration 
of  Easter ;  and  an  immense  crowd  of 
pious  believers,  attracted  from  every 
portion  of  the  Christian  world,  stretch- 
ing in  thousands  upon  thousands,  far 
almost  as  the  eye  could  reach,  when 
it  was  borne  aloft,  swayed  to  and  fro 
in  prayer,  and  thrilled  with  fear  as 
they  contemplated  the  awful  wood. 

The  power  of  the  cross  comes,  of 
course,  from  what  it  suggests,  from  its 
symbolic  meaning.  Its  attraction  is 
two-fold  ;  derived  first  from  the  pow- 
er of  a  natural  sympathy  with  him 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  21 

whose  person,  whose  works,  whose 
sufferings  it  typifies ;  and,  secondly, 
from  the  power  of  the  supernatural 
revelation  whose  sense  and  force  there 
centre  and  culminate. 

No  one  can  become  acquainted 
with  Jesus,  can  know  him  as  he  was, 
without  being  filled  with  admiration 
for  his  godlike  attributes,  and  pene- 
trated with  sympathy  for  him  on 
account  of  his  virtues,  and  painful 
sacrifice.  The  reason  why  so  many 
persons  remain  unmoved  by  the  pic- 
ture of  his  character,  and  the  story  of 
his  life,  unredeemed  by  the  power  of 
his  spirit,  is  simply  that  they  never 
knew  him.  So  unparalleled  were  his 
purity,  tenderness,  and  self-denial ;  so 
altogether  lovely  was  he  in  character ; 


22  HISTORY   OP  THE 

so  harmless,  so  sublimely  beneficent 
was  his  career,  that  every  heart  must 
turn  to  him  with  spontaneous  rever- 
ence, and  yearn  to  yield  him  the  tri- 
bute of  a  holy  personal  love.  And 
then  to  think  that  He,  that  such  a  be- 
ing, should  have  been  so  harshly 
treated,  so  cruelly  murdered,  while  he 
endured  all  without  a  murmur,  and 
spent  his  whole  existence  for  nothing 
else  but  to  bless  others  —  this  is  what 
must  draw  forth  the  pitying  and 
grateful  tears  of  all  time,  and  clothe 
the  cross  with  a  mighty  power  over 
human  affections.  That  he  who  had 
the  gentlest  heart  that  ever  throbbed 
in  sympathy  with  mortal  weal  or  woe, 
should  have  been  so  neglected,  de- 
spised, spurned,  and  cast  out  —  that 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  23 

those  feet  which  never  wearied  on 
errands  of  mercy,  as  he  still  went 
about  doing  good,  and  those  hands 
which  were  laid  in  benediction  on  the 
heads  of  little  children,  which  touch- 
ed the  eyes  of  the  blind  with  sight, 
and  raised  the  broken-hearted  sinner 
with  a  brother's  love  and  a  Saviour's 
forgiveness,  should  have  been  nailed 
in  agony  to  the  accursed  tree  —  that 
he  who  was  the  perfection  of  every 
virtue,  without  a  taint  of  guile  or  the 
shadow  of  a  sin,  should  have  been 
made  to  die  in  such  ignominy,  and  in 
such  anguish  ;  the  last  sight  that  met 
his  eye,  the  mocking  sneers  of  his 
foes ;  the  last  sound  that  murmured 
in  his  ear,  the  blasphemous  jeers  of 
the  rabble,  —  all  this  rising  in  the 


24  HISTORY   OF   THE 

soul  of  the  Christian,  as  he  contem- 
plates the  cross,  is  what  first  gives 
that  symbol  its  power.  The  cross  is 
made  touching  and  attractive,  there- 
fore, by  a  natural  sympathy  with  the 
person  of  the  beloved  Jesus,  who  was 
willing  to  die  upon  it  for  us ;  and 
this  power  will  never  fade  away  until 
the  human  heart  becomes  a  stone. 

In  the  next  place,  the  cross  has 
power,  as  being  the  received  emblem 
of  God's  last  and  highest  revelation, 
the  visible  sign  of  his  interest  in  man, 
the  standing  proof  of  his  great  love, 
the  memorial  of  his  redeeming  pur- 
pose, the  full  personification  of  that 
infallible  religion  which  came  down 
from  Heaven.  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  25 

Son  to  die  as  a  reconciling  sacrifice, 
that  men's  hearts  might  be  melted, 
that  they  might  believe  in  the  Fath- 
er's love,  and  be  assured  of  eternal 
life.  That  is  the  divine  import  of  the 
crucifixion,  and  hence  comes  its  chief 
attraction.  It  tells  the  poor  benight- 
ed wanderers  of  earth,  that  beyond 
the  visible  expanse  dwells  a  Being  of 
infinite  power  and  mercy,  who  loves 
them,  and  will  save  them,  and  bring 
them  to  his  heavenly  home  ;  that  he 
has  sent  a  beloved  son  into  the  world, 
to  declare  this  truth  and  make  him  ful- 
ly known,  to  illustrate  the  aim  of  life 
by  his  example,  demonstrate  the  divin- 
ity of  his  mission  by  miraculous  works, 
and  lift  the  curtain  from  immortality 
by  a  resurrection  from  the  dead.  It 


26  HISTORY    OF   THE 

assures  man  that  he  is  not  banished 
from  God,  nor  isolated  from  the  sym- 
pathies of  the  universe,  nor  doomed 
to  perish  in  the  grave ;  but  that  the 
Father  is  with  him,  that  Heaven  cares 
for  earth  and  waits  to  welcome  its  re- 
deemed ones  to  a  deathless  shore. 
Such  is  the  story  the  cross  of  Christ 
tells  to  our  poor,  weary,  afflicted  hu- 
manity; and  until  all  faith  in  it  has 
died  out  from  among  men,  its  chosen 
symbol  will  not  lose  its  power  over 
the  mind,  and  over  the  heart,  of  the 
world. 

The  cross  is  mighty,  then,  not  alone 
through  the  power  of  all  the  noblest 
elements  of  humanity,  and  all  the 
deepest  interests  of  earth,  intensified 
and  gathered  there  ;  but  also  through 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  27 

the  pleading  presence  of  God,  and 
the  anxious  sympathy  of  Heaven, 
there  embodied  and  made  known.  It 
was  not  alone  the  perfection  of  man, 
but  also  a  direct  manifestation  of  God, 
that  hung  and  bled  on  Calvary ;  and 
not  only  the  earth  shuddered,  but  al- 
so the  Heavens  were  opened,  when 
he  expired.  God's  own  love,  shown 
for  the  conversion  of  a  rebellious 
race,  was  in  that  heart  which  was 
pierced  by  the  soldier's  spear.  The 
chains  which  bind  this  world  with 
mutual  sympathies  to  another  sphere, 
were  illuminated,  made  visible,  and 
never  again  to  be  forgotten,  when 
Christ  triumphed  as  he  yielded. 

One  of  the  old  painters  has  left  a 
picture  which  shows  a  profound  in- 


28  HISTORY   OF   THE 

sight  into  the  meaning  of  that  por- 
tentous hour,  typifying  the  momenta 
ous  truths  that  God  has  descended  to 
man,  that  Heaven  takes  an  interest 
in  earth.  The  Saviour  is  fainting  in 
death.  His  mother  and  two  or  three 
disciples  are  prostrate  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross,  in  speechless  woe.  The 
mob  reaches  widely  around,  the  vari- 
ous expressions  of  their  up-turned 
visages  visible  in  the  glare  of  torches 
and  the  supernal  light.  But  over  this 
heart-rending  scene  of  all  horrors 
mingled  in  the  gloom,  streams  a 
dazzling  radiance  from  above.  From 
the  summit  of  the  cross,  far  out 
through  illimitable  space,  and  along 
the  open  vistas  of  the  clouds,  throng 
the  angels  of  God,  —  cherubim,  rank 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  29 

beyond  rank,  seraphim,  choir  above 
choir,  crowding  through  all  the  sky. 
This  host  of  heavenly  spirits,  their 
faces  radiant  with  divine  beauty  and 
joy  and  triumph,  are  striking  their 
harps  to  notes  of  praise,  and  joining 
in  one  exulting  song  of  victory  and 
thanksgiving,  whose  burden,  rolling 
through  the  confines  of  creation, 
sounds  on  forevermore,  —  "  Blessing, 
and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power  be 
unto  God  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb  that  was  slain.' * 
Beloiv  the  cross,  the  earth  was  shroud- 
ed in  darkness,  and  humanity,  in 
tears,  refused  to  be  comforted ;  above 
it,  the  heavens  were  filled  with  un- 
wonted splendor,  and  the  glittering 
hosts  were  shouting  for  joy. 


30  HISTORY    OF  THE 

And  now,  looking  upon  the  cross 
as  a  token  charged  with  the  accumu- 
lated power  of  the  personal  history  of 
Christ,  and  with  the  whole  power  of 
the  revealed  religion,  sent  through 
him  from  God,  we  are  prepared  to 
understand  how  and  why  it  was  that 
Paul,  and  the  other  primitive  be- 
lievers, so  readily  accepted  it  as  the 
sign  of  their  faith,  magnified  it,  and 
gloried  in  it.  They  but  chimed  in 
with  what  they  saw  to  be  the  won- 
drous plan  of  salvation  ;  namely,  the 
overthrow  of  pride  and  selfishness  by 
voluntary  humiliation  and  self-sacri- 
fice, in  an  example  divinely  set  for  all 
to  follow.  God  might,  had  it  so  pleas- 
ed him,  have  stretched  his  almighty 
arm  from  the  central  heavens,  and 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  31 

with  bare-faced  power,  have  swept  all 
evil  from  the  globe ;  but,  having  re- 
spect unto  the  freedom  of  the  soul, 
he  chose  to  send  his  Son  to  toil,  and 
plead,  and  suffer,  and  die ;  he  chose 
the  foolish,  weak,  and  base  things  of 
the  world,  to  confound  the  wise, 
mighty,  and  honorable  things — that 
no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence. 
The  early  Christians,  realizing  this, 
determined,  lest  the  cross  should  be 
of  none  effect,  to  know  nothing  save 
Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified.  In- 
spired by  the  astonishing  fact  that  he 
who  was  in  the  form  of  God,  con- 
descended, and  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  servant,  and  humbled  him- 
self, and  became  obedient  unto  death, 


32  HISTORY    OF   THE 

even  the  death  of  the  cross,  they  re- 
solved to  imitate  him,  and  counted 
all  things  loss  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  thus  given  them.  See- 
ing the  wickedness  and  vanity  of  this 
world  warring  against  the  interests  of 
eternity  —  the  opposition  of  its  whole 
spirit  to  the  spirit  and  conditions  of 
redemption  —  they  boldly  made  their 
choice,  and  took  their  stand,  exclaim- 
ing in  the  front  of  all  pagan  haughti- 
ness, "  God  forbid  that  we  should 
glory  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  whereby  the  world  is 
crucified  unto  us,  and  we  unto  the 
world."  And  so  the  cross  soon  grew 
emblematic  of  all  Christianity,  and 
its  assumption  became  the  badge  of 
discipleship.  "  Henceforth,"  they  said, 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  33 

"  let  no  man  trouble  us,  for  we  bear 
in  our  bodies  the  marks  of  the  Lord 
Jesus"  —  the  prints  of  that  crucifixion 
whereby  we  are  dead  unto  sin,  the 
flesh  and  this  world,  and  alive  unto 
righteousness,  God  and  immortality. 
Hitherto  the  image  of  the  cross  had 
only  been  seen,  lowering  upon  Gol- 
gotha, the  place  of  a  skull,  and  plant- 
ed in  Aceldama,  a  field  of  blood.  But 
then,  carved  from  the  richest  materi- 
als, ornamented  with  gems  and  gold, 
it  became  a  conspicuous  object  in  the 
private  dwellings  of  all  Christian  be- 
lievers, was  erected  in  their  places  of 
worship,  was  worn  next  their  breasts, 
and  often,  with  a  pious  fervor  of 
which  we  have  but  too  little  experi- 
ence, pressed  to  their  lips.  Wherever 
3 


34  HISTORY   OF   THE 

in  the  known  world  a  Christian  set 
foot,  there  the  cross  was  carried. 
Wherever  the  name  of  Christ  was 
heard,  or  K  preaching  was  attempted, 
the  speaker  held  the  crucifix  in  his 
hand,  and  enforced  the  truth  of  his 
arguments  by  pointing  to  the  wounds, 
and  appealing  to  the  bleeding  image." 
The  ignominious  symbol  of  a  dying 
felon  gradually  extended  its  con- 
quests, transformed  its  meaning,  and 
was  covered  with  resplendence  and 
power.  Where  was  it  not  carried, 
by  devoted  disciples  and  heroic  mis- 
sionaries, as  the  all-conquering  token 
of  what  is  holiest,  strongest,  and  dear- 
est ;  even  as  the  token  of  a  pardoning 
God,  a  sacrificed  Redeemer,  a  tri- 
umphant resurrection,  and  an  unend- 


CROSS   OF  CHRIST.  35 

ing  Heaven !  Ethiopia  saw  it,  and 
stretched  out  her  hands  to  God.  It 
was  borne,  with  proselyting  speech, 
among  the  pagan  swarms  of  China 
and  India.  It  overthrew  the  blood- 
stained altars  of  Odin  and  Thor,  and 
subdued  the  fierce  hordes  of  Europe 
to  its  benignant  sway.  The  first  act 
of  the  discoverer  of  America  upon 
landing,  was  to  plant  it  on  the  shore, 
and  consecrate  the  continent  to  the 
name  and  faith  of  Him  who  breathed 
out  his  life  upon  it.  The  rude  Green- 
landers  were  melted  to  tears  by  its 
pathos ;  and  the  dwellers  of  the  isles 
of  the  sea  learned  to  recognize  its 
significence,  and  adore.  Thus  the  in- 
famy of  the  cross  was  wiped  away, 
and  the  foolishness  of  preaching  pre- 


36  HISTORY   OF  THE 

vailed,  till  that  which  once  the  world 
most  despised,  by  the  consummate 
glory  of  Christ  grew  most  illustrious, 
signed  the  beggar's  forehead,  mount- 
ed crown  and  throne,  blazed  upon  the 
flags  of  nations,  tipped  the  domes  of 
mighty  cathedrals,  adorned  the  splen- 
did mausoleums  of  kings,  and  hallow- 
ed the  peasant's  funeral  turf. 

One  of  the  most  unfortunate  mis- 
takes men  have  made,  is  the  perse- 
vering attempt  to  construct  a  theo- 
logy, instead  of  deduce  a  religion, 
from  the  cross.  It  has  been  regarded 
as  the  exponent  of  abstract  dogmas, 
the  emblem  of  a  cold  and  awful  sys- 
tem of  avenging  justice,  rather  than 
as  the  embodiment  of  divine  feelings, 
the  sign  of  a  regenerative,  all-forgiv- 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  37 


ing  goodness.  The  first  evil  of  the 
arbitrary  interpretation  of  the  cross 
has  been  the  birth  of  intolerance  and 
persecution.  Men,  supposing  the  hon- 
or of  God,  and  the  salvation  of  the 
soul,  to  depend  on  the  belief  of  a  cer- 
tain mysterious,  appalling  theory  of 
the  crucifixion,  have  been  led  to 
hate,  and  excommunicate,  pursue  with 
fire  and  sword,  all  who  rejected  that 
view.  Had  they  regarded  the  cross, 
not  as  a  symbol  of  law,  appealing  to 
the  intellect,  interpreting  the  ne- 
cessities of  God's  government ;  but  as 
a  symbol  of  pity,  of  melting  chari- 
ty, appealing  to  the  heart,  revealing 
the  merciful  kindness  of  God's  free 
grace,  it  would  have  softened  the  as- 
perity of  hostile  opinions,  and  joined 


38  HISTORY   OF  THE 

all  souls  in  the  unity  of  one  spirit. 
Think  not  upon  the  cross  as  the  fear- 
ful embodiment  of  a  theology,  but 
contemplate  it  as  the  bright  symbol 
of  a  religion.  For  as  Moses  lifted  up 
the  fiery  serpent  in  the  wilderness 
that  all  who  had  been  bitten  by  the 
scorpions  might  look  on  it  and  live,  so 
Jesus  was  lifted  upon  the  cross  that 
whosoever  receives  him  as  the  Son  of 
God,  and  cherishes  his  spirit,  may  be 
assured  of  eternal  life.  Whosoever 
fills  his  heart  with  the  feeling  that 
filled  the  heart  of  the  Saviour,  that 
radiates  from  the  cross,  has  passed 
from  death  unto  life ;  no  matter  what 
his  special  theological  tenets  are,  he 
has  acquired  all  that  is  requisite  for 
the  perfect  redemption  of  the  world. 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  39 

Another  evil  which  has  resulted 
from  making  the  death  of  Christ 
teach  an  arbitrary  scheme  of  theology, 
instead  of  enforce  a  practical  lesson 
of  sympathy  and  duty,  is  the  remov- 
ing of  the  cross  from  contact  with 
personal  conscience  and  effort.  The 
fancies  of  men  have  pictured  it  as 
the  instrument  of  a  purchased  deliver- 
ance, in  which  they  can  do  nothing 
but  submit  to  a  predestined  decree. 
They  have  described  its  foot  as  pierc- 
ing the  depths  of  hell,  when  the  in- 
finite victim  died,  shaking  the  throne 
of  Satan  to  its  overthrow  and  rescuing 
half  his  captives,  while  its  summit 
rose  above  the  skies  and  cast  redoub- 
led radiance  over  the  shining  ranks 
of  heaven.  According  to  this  scheme, 


40  HISTORY   OF   THE 

those  who  are  of  the  elect  are  safe, 
the  price  has  been  paid,  they  have 
only  to  rejoice  and  give  thanks ;  those 
who  are  of  the  reprobate  are  unalter- 
ably doomed,  the  sentence  has  been 
fixed  from  eternity  by  an  absolute 
fate,  they  can  only  submit  in  passive 
despair  to  their  terrific  doom.  We 
shudder  at  such  a  theory.  We  protest 
against  all  such  views  as  unchristian. 
We  warn  men  against  them  as  unwar- 
ranted in  Scripture,  unfounded  in  fact, 
and  bad  in  influence.  With  the  ear- 
nestness of  an  intense  conviction,  we 
maintain  that  the  core  of  the  Gospel 
is  something  very  different,  is  no  ab- 
stract dogma  at  all,  but  is  a  living 
principle  of  faith  in  God,  and  a  glow- 
ing sentiment  of  good  will  to  men.  In 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  41 

a  single  word,  we  believe  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  design  of  God,  the  intention 
of  Christ,  and  the  nature  of  the  case, 
the  legitimate  object  and  teaching  of 
the  Cross  is  a  lesson  of  self-immolating, 
all-conquering  love.  Its  real  and  prac- 
tical meaning  is  that  pervading,  puri- 
fying, inspiring  spirit  of  goodness 
which  leads  one  to  deny  himself,  keep 
the  commandments,  love  God  and  man 
with  the  whole  soul,  and  go  about 
doing  good,  willingly  offering  up  the 
life  a  sacrifice  for  the  advancement 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  earth. 
This  is  the  essence  and  glory  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  urgent  proclamation  of 
this  to  men  is  the  true  "  preaching  of 
the  cross."  The  prevalence  of  this  is 
all  the  Gospel  proposes,  or  the  world 


42  HISTORY   OF   THE 

needs.  This  is  the  foolishness  of  God 
which  the  Apostle  affirms  is  wiser  than 
men ;  and  this  is  the  weakness  of  God 
which  he  says  is  stronger  than  men. 

The  cross  does  not  unveil  a  magical 
theory,  but  emphasizes,  with  miraculous 
sanctions  and  motives,  the  rational 
truth.  It  demands  not  a  barren  belief, 
but  a  fruitful  love.  By  this  view  it 
will  be  seen  the  crucifixion  has  a  per- 
sonal office  to  fulfil,  in  awakening  the 
consciousness  and  renewing  the  char- 
acter of  every  disciple  through  his 
own  voluntary  attention  and  effort. 
The  Saviour  willingly  submitted  to 
that  cruel  death,  with  forgiveness  and 
benediction  on  his  lips,  to  exemplify 
the  character  of  the  Father,  to  show 
the  awful  nature  and  depth  of  the 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  43 

wickedness  which  could  perpetrate 
so  unutterable  an  outrage,  and  to  ex- 
ert a  moral  power  on  the  human  heart 
which  would  melt  down  its  hardness, 
purge  away  its  impurities,  fill  it  with 
admiration  and  gratitude,  and  lift  it 
into  the  kingdom  of  divine  emotions 
and  immortal  ideas.  We  are  to  co- 
operate with  the  Holy  Spirit  by  using 
means  to  effect  these  results.  The 
proper  aims  and  influences  of  our 
Saviour's  sufferings  and  death  combine 
to  secure  one  end  ;  that  is,  to  produce 
in  the  soul  of  the  disciple  the  spirit  of 
the  master,  the  spirit  of  humility,  self- 
denial,  disinterested  piety  and  philan- 
thropy. It  is  therefore  the  duty  of 
every  individual  to  take  his  stand  in 
hallowed  imagination  at  the  foot  of 


44  HISTORY   OF   THE 

the  Cross,  in  struggling  penitence,  and 
meditation,  and  prayer,  until  he  feels 
and  is  redeemed  by  its  power,  until 
he  is  consecrated  to  the  obedience  of 
righteousness,  caught  up  by  the  love 
of  God,  penetrated  with  sympathy  for 
the  great  brotherhood  of  forlorn  and 
sighing  humanity.  While  the  soul  of 
man  is  oppressed  with  injustice,  denied 
with  unclean  desires,  deformed  and 
tormented  by  haughtiness,  envy,  cruel- 
ty— the  Cross  of  Christ  is  made  of  none 
effect.  In  vain  did  his  Saviour  bleed 
for  him.  He  may  boast  of  the  sound- 
ness of  his  faith,  observe  the  ceremo- 
nies, and  parade  the  outward  symbols 
of  religion,  but  all  is  hollow  and  worth- 
less so  long  as 

"  The  breast-worn  cross  betrays  no  cross  below." 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  45 

Ah !  who  can  stand  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross  and  gaze  on  the  face  of  the  Son 
of  Man,  and  remember  his  toiling  out- 
cast and  smitten  life,  and  hear  the 
faint  accents  of  his  voice,  and  see  him 
die,  without  feeling  the  inconsistency 
of  selfishness,  pride  and  coldness,  with 
a  Christian's  profession,  without  feel- 
ing the  duties  of  earth  and  the  claims 
of  heaven  profoundly  impressed  upon 
his  conscience.  The  poverty,  lone- 
liness, sacrifice,  love  and  spirituality 
of  the  Cross  of  Christ  rebuke  and  fling 
dimness  and  shame  on  the  arrogant 
luxuries  and  honors  of  the  pampered 
children  of  this  world,  and  urge  upon 
them  the  lowliest  spirit  and  the  loftiest 
aim.  And  there  have  been  those  who 
have  learned  that  lesson  well  and  prac- 


46  HISTORY   OF  THE 

tised  it  to  the  last.  There  passes  before 
the  mind  a  sainted  multitude  of  those 
who  have  taken  up  the  cross,  and  in  its 
full  spirit  pressed  on  in  the  steps  of 
their  great  example,  regardless  of  the 
shame,  the  danger,  and  the  toil,  despis- 
ing the  pleasures  and  prizes  of  the  world, 
keeping  their  consciences  pure,  their 
whole  lives  consecrated  to  the  glory 
of  Him  who  was  crucified,  ministering 
to  the  poor,  the  loathed,  and  the  sick, 
comforting  the  mourner's  heart,  breath- 
ing the  words  of  salvation  in  the  ear 
of  the  dying,  preaching  the  religion  of 
redemption  in  foreign  lands  among 
savage  people,  expiring  with  the  cross 
in  their  hands  and  the  name  of  Christ 
on  their  lips,  and  borne  into  heaven, 
their  transfiguration  garments  already 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  47 

on.  The  genuine  "  preaching  of  the 
cross"  is  that  which  tends  to  produce 
such  a  result.  Let  us  not  deceive 
ourselves  then  with  arbitrary  creeds, 
not  remain  coldly  afar  off,  but  draw 
near  and  be  melted  with  sorrow  and 
fired  with  resolve.  Let  us,  humbly 
and  devoutly  kneeling  there,  vow 
never  to  forsake  the  heavenward 
path  in  which  the  Cross  leads  its  fol- 
lowers to  the  bosom  of  their  Master, 
who  awaits  their  emancipated  coming 
at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

The  present  meaning,  associations, 
honors  of  the  Cross,  contrasted  with 
its  ancient  ignominious  uses,  and  with 
the  profound  loathing  in  which  it  was 
held — the  startling  and  total  change 
herein  implied — affords  an  interesting 


48  HISTORY    OF   THE 

and  powerful  argument  for  the  his- 
torical genuineness  and  authenticity 
of  Christianity.  Go,  in  imagination, 
from  the  present  position  of  that 
potent  sign,  step  by  step,  along  the 
backward  path  of  its  diminishing 
radiance  and  increasing  disgrace,  and 
you  must  come  at  last  to  a  summit  of 
Calvary  and  a  death  of  Christ,  to  a 
place  and  an  hour  and  an  event  where 
and  when  a  transfiguring  power  was 
thrown  about  it,  causing  it  to  shine  with 
growing  lustre  and  wield  an  accumu- 
lating influence  thenceforwards  till 
now.  The  phenomena  of  the  history 
of  the  Cross  are  inexplicable,  save 
upon  the  supposition  that  Jesus,  a 
being  of  superhuman  virtues  and  au- 
thority, really  suffered,  as  the  Records 


CROSS   OP   CHRIST.  49 

declare.  "  What,"  pertinently  observes 
the  ingenious  writer  to  whom  we  owe 
this  thought ;  "  what  must  take  place 
before  we  could  see,  without  a  shud- 
der, and  with  emotions  of  reverence, 
the  gallows  on  the  spires  of  our 
churches,  the  gallows  in  our  parlors, 
the  gallows  an  ornament  on  our  per- 
sons, the  gallows  wrought  in  all  our 
most  beautiful  and  sacred  works  of 
art  ?"  To  effect  a  revolution  of  his- 
toric association,  and  of  aesthetic  taste, 
so  immense,  so  incredible,  so  nearly 
inconceivable,  a  miracle  would  be  re- 
quired. Every  time  we  see  the  Cross, 
we  know  that  the  historic  events  re- 
lated in  the  Gospels  actually  occurred. 
We  next  pass  to  notice  some  of  the 
symbolic  uses  made  of  the  Cross  at 

4 


50  HISTORY   OF  THE 

various  times.  Omitting  those  super- 
stitious perversions,  and  legends,  which 
are  merely  interesting  to  a  useless 
curiosity,  and  with  which  it  would  be 
easy  to  fill  volumes,  we  shall  confine 
our  attention  to  those  particulars 
which  have  spiritual  power  and  a 
practical  moral  in  them. 

With  deep  significance  and  a  beau- 
tiful propriety,  the  use  of  the  Cross  in 
baptism  was  early  introduced  into  the 
Church.  Children  were  brought  to 
the  font ;  the  minister,  after  a  solemn 
prayer,  crossed  them  with  the  holy 
water,  saying,  "  Receive  the  sign  of 
the  Cross  in  thy  forehead,  in  token 
that  thou  shalt  not  be  ashamed  to 
confess  thy  faith  in  Christ  crucified." 
Thus,  hi  their  innocence,  in  the  morn- 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  51 

ing  of  life,  were  they  by  right  dedi- 
cated to  God,  consecrated  through 
baptism  into  the  faith  of  Christ,  in 
promise  that  they  should  follow  his 
example  on  earth  and  join  his  triumph 
in  heaven.  They  were  baptised  and 
sealed  with  the  Cross  in  token  that 
they  were  his.  Beautiful  emblem ! 
God  grant  all  our  children  may  ever 
be  his,  and  keep  his  Cross  in  sight. 
"Whenever  one  is  baptised  in  his  spot- 
less purity,  a  worthy  offering  to  him 
who  was  himself  spotless,  oh !  let  it  be 
hoped  he  will  always  be  guided  by 
the  unconscious  vow,  and  never  forfeit 
that  Saviour's  protecting  love ! 

Memorial  Crosses  came  to  be  built 
on  the  site  of  a  martyrdom,  a  re- 
markable conversion,  an  important 


52  HISTORY   OF   THE 

battle,  or  other  great  event.  They 
were  frequently  vast  structures,  con- 
stituting the  finest  specimens  of  archi- 
tecture extant.  A  few  of  them  are 
still  standing.  One  of  the  very  oldest 
Christian  monuments  in  England  is  a 
stupendous  Cross,  cut  in  the  steep  side 
of  a  high  hill  of  chalk.  It  is  a  hundred 
feet  in  height,  seventy  feet  in  width, 
and  the  trench  is  sunk  in  the  chalk 
several  feet  in  depth.  This  gigantic 
white  Cross  is  visible  at  a  distance  of 
more  than  thirty  miles,  carrying  the 
thoughts  of  all  who  recognize  its  form 
back,  over  the  intervening  centuries, 
to  a  Cross  in  the  outskirts  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  to  one  dying  there,  the 
just  for  the  unjust.  Many  public 
Crosses,  and  cruciform  buildings,  were 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  53 

also  erected  near  the  markets,  and 
other  much  frequented  places  of  busi- 
ness, in  order,  as  an  old  writer  says, 
"  to  excite  open  homage  for  the  reli- 
gion of  Christ  crucified,  and  to  inspire 
men  with  a  sense  of  morality  and 
piety  amidst  the  ordinary  transactions 
of  life."  If  this  were  now  done  every- 
where, it  could  not  but  be  a  good 
thing.  Let  the  Cross  meet  the  man 
of  the  world  in  the  midst  of  his  busi- 
ness, face  him  at  every  turn,  remind- 
ing him  of  his  Saviour's  life  of  self- 
denial  and  death  of  shame,  reminding 
him  of  his  God's  requirement  of  him, 
that  he  should  '  deal  justly,  and  love 
mercy,  and  walk  humbly  before 
heaven.'  It  would  be  a  holy  influence 
not  unneeded  by  many  a  tempted 


54  HISTORY   OF  THE 

man  in  many  a  hurrying  and  perilous 
hour. 

It  seems  to  us  an  altogether  harm- 
less, nay,  a  most  touching  and  useful 
custom — the  habit  so  prevalent  in  the 
middle  ages  —  of  erecting  crosses  and 
open  chapels  by  the  way  side,  as  it 
were  inviting  the  passer-by  and  the 
stranger  to  remember  their  Saviour, 
not  to  neglect  their  devotions,  but 
pause  and  kneel  in  confession,  and 
lift  up  the  humble  voice  of  petition 
and  praise  to  God. 

"Eugenio  marked,  when  journeying  far  from  home — 

A  pilgrim  through  Italia's  classic  land, 

On  Lithuanian  or  Iberian  strand, 

Where'er  old  Europe  bows  to  papal  Rome — 

How  oft  the  Cross  near  some  lone  chapel  stood, 

Beside  the  fount,  or  in  the  public  way, 

That  whoso  list  might  there  kneel  down  and  pray 

To  him,  once  crucified,  who  shed  his  blood 

For  all  mankind." 


CROSS  OF  CHRIST.  55 

The  ever-open  church,  the  inviting 
altar,  the  sacred  silence  only  broken 
by  the  sweet  pensive  music,  allure 
many  a  soul  to  prayer,  many  a  thought 
to  Jesus,  and  many  a  desire  to  heaven. 
There  was  a  time  when  it  was  the 
common  custom  for  helpless  men- 
dicants to  take  their  station  at  the  foot 
of  crosses  set  up  by  the  roadside,  near 
churches,  markets,  and  other  frequent- 
ed places,  and  there  beg  for  relief  in  the 
name  of  Christ.  And  doubtless  many 
an  iron-handed  knight,  many  a  proud 
baron,  his  heart  softened  by  the  sad 
and  sweet  memories  of  him  who  suf- 
fered and  died  for  all,  was  penetrated 
with  pitying  charity  for  the  poor 
broken  members  of  humanity  who 
besought  his  aid,  and  liberally  gave 


56  HISTORY   OF  THE 

to  them  with  a  tear  and  a  blessing. 
Then  was  the  cross  of  Christ  put  to  a 
worthy  use,  its  true  spirit  and  power 
felt.  And  is  it  too  fanciful  to  think 
that  often,  under  such  circumstances, 
the  divine  voice,  which  centuries 
before  had  spoken  amid  the  fields  of 
Judea,  was  again  heard  whispering  in 
approving  accents  to  their  souls,  "Inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of 
the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me." 

In  some  Christian  countries,  for  a 
long  tune,  public  crosses  were  endowed 
with  privilege  of  sanctuary.  Any  con- 
demned criminal,  escaped  prisoner,  or 
person  pursued  by  his  enemies,  who 
should  fly  to  a  cross,  was  to  be  left  in 
peace,  as  if  he  had  hold  of  the  horns 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  57 

of  the  altar,  revenge  and  justice  were 
compelled  to  spare  him,  unless  the 
church  herself  laid  hands  on  him.  In 
those  lawless  and  bloody  times,  such 
refuge  was  a  merciful  and  fortunate 
provision,  often  improved  by  the  inno- 
cent, the  persecuted,  the  defenceless. 
How  striking  and  pleasant  is  the  em- 
blem this  fact  affords !  Now  as  then, 
though  in  a  different  sense,  the  foot  of 
the  cross  is  a  sanctuary  and  a  refuge — 
from  the  cares  of  the  world,  from  the 
enemies  of  the  soul.  He  who  flies  to 
it  and  prostrates  himself  there  in  faith 
and  earnest  prayer,  will  find  pity  and 
pardon,  and  divine  protection ;  find 
peace  from  the  fever  and  turmoil  of 
his  passions,  and  hear  the  benignant 
representative  of  the  Father  still  ex- 


58  HISTORY   OF  THfc 

claiming  with  unwearied  tenderness, 
"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest."  With  what  figurative  truth 
and  beauty  Bunyan,  having  pictured 
his  heavy-laden  pilgrim  toiling  and 
struggling  wearily  through  a  thousand 
difficulties  and  dangers,  shows  us  how 
the  intolerable  burden  spontaneously 
rolled  from  his  back  and  disappeared 
forever,  the  moment  he  reached  the 
foot  of  the  cross. 

Almost  from  the  commencement  of 
Christian  history  we  find  that  those 
to  whom  the  world  had  lost  its  charm, 
the  disappointed,  the  repentant,  the 
bereaved,  the  broken-hearted,  hermits, 
and  those  pious  men  and  women  who 
retired  from  the  gay  vanities  of  life  to 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  59 

the  secluded  cells  of  the  monastery, 
were  wont  to  soothe  their  aching 
hearts,  kindle  their  devotions,  and 
draw  nigh  to  God  and  eternity,  by 
contemplating  the  cross  bearing  an 
image  of  the  dying  Christ.  Up  and 
down  the  darkened  isles,  while  strains 
of  solemn  music  stole  through  the 
deserted  silence  and  floated  in  plain- 
tive cadences  towards  purer  regions, 
sadly  paced  the  guilty,  with  self-denial 
and  prayer,  and  with  many  bitter 
tears,  to  wash  away  the  memory  of 
their  sins.  A  death's  head  and  a  cru- 
cifix composed  a  chief  part  of  the  fur- 
niture of  each  private  room.  They 
glanced  at  that  dread  monitor,  and  all 
worldly  thoughts  and  fleshly  lusts  fled 
away.  They  gazed  upon  this  sad 


60  HISTORY   OF   THE 

spectacle  till  their  hearts  yearned  and 
their  tears  flowed  in  remembrance  of 
him  who  did  so  much  for  them,  till 
the  absorbing  love  of  God  and  the 
glorious  hope  of  heaven  filled  the 
desires  of  their  souls.  Well  would  it 
be  for  us,  in  these  modern  days,  in  a 
degree  to  do  likewise.  Sometimes  to 
turn  away  from  the  luring  toils  of 
earth,  and  its  deceitful  pleasures,  leave 
the  dusty  arena  of  worldly  rivalry  and 
ambition,  and  retreat  to  some  place 
of  lonely  devotion ;  there  to  repent 
and  pray,  and  solemnly  meditate  on 
all  the  associations  and  duties  and 
promises  that  gather  around  the  name 
and  the  cross  of  Christ,  There  to 
think  of  the  certainty  of  death,  the 
offered  redemption  of  the  Gospel,  the 


CROSS    OP   CHRIST.  61 

open  arms  of  the  prodigal's  God,  the 
immense  realities  of  an  unknown  eter- 
nity. Ah !  well  would  it  be  for  most 
of  us  to  dwell  less  in  the  world,  and 
more  with  the  cross.  An  hour  comes 
when  we  shall  think  so. 

It  early  became  a  custom  with 
Christians  to  hold  the  cross  over  the 
dying,  that  the  last  object  they  saw 
might  assure  them  both  of  a  future 
life  and  of  acceptance  writh  God  ;  and 
many  a  weary  soul  has  gently  passed 
away  in  the  supporting  trust  thus 
inspired.  "  Hold  the  cross  before  me 
that  I  may  see  it  in  dying,"  said  Joan  of 
Arc  when  cruelly  burnt  at  the  stake  ; 
and  the  last  word  heard  through  the 
flames  was,  "  Jesus."  In  the  lone  and 
awful  crisis  when  the  present  was 


62  HISTORY    OF   THE 

closing  and  the  future  unfolding,  the 
proud  and  costly  things  of  the  world 
were  as  dust  and  mockery,  and  the 
soul  was  absorbed  in  the  cross,  in  the 
priceless  symbol  of  salvation.  The 
rich  man  turned  from  his  treasures, 
the  voluptuary  from  his  indulgence, 
the  statesman  from  his  plots  and  fame, 
the  king  from  his  royal  shows,  the 
warrior  from  his  arms  and  his  enemy, 
in  the  solemn  passage  of  the  soul,  and, 
clasping  the  cross  to  the  pallid  lips 
and  the  stiffening  bosom,  gasped  a 
prayer  of  penitence  and  trust,  and 
died. 

"  The  sword  had  conquered  kings, 
And  the  spear  through  realms  had  passed, 
But  the  cross  alone  of  all  seen  things 
Could  avail  them  at  the  last." 

It  was  not   uncommon   in  former 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  63 

ages,  when  the  hour  of  dissolution 
approached,  to  scatter  on  the  floor  a 
quantity  of  ashes  in  the  form  of  a 
cross  upon  which  straw  or  sackcloth 
was  laid  as  a  bed  for  the  dying  per- 
son. Three  monarchs  of  France,  and 
one  of  England,  expired  upon  such  a 
bed,  "  yielding  up  the  ghost  with  their 
arms  composed  in  the  shape  of  the 
cross."  Solemn  scene !  which,  while 
it  speaks  of  the  ghastly  king  who 
preaches  in  all  ears,  'dust  to  dust,' 
also  reminds  us  of  a  mightier  than  he, 
who  hath  snatched  away  his  sting  and 
robbed  him  of  victory.  The  unfor- 
tunate Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  just 
before  she  placed  her  head  upon  the 
block,  having  kissed  the  crucifix,  fixed 
her  eyes  upon  it  and  prayed  in  these 


64  HISTORY    OF   THE 

touching  words :  "  Even  as  thy  armes, 
0  Jesus,  was  spredd  here  upon  the 
crosse,  so  receive  me  into  thy  armes  of 
mercy,  and  forgive  me  all  my  sinnes." 
In  this  manner  the  cross  sustained 
the  faith  of  the  dying  as  they  sank 
down  into  the  shadow  of  the  dark 
valley ;  and  then  it  was  planted  above 
their  graves  to  bid  the  mourners  be 
of  good  cheer,  remembering  their 
resurrection  in  a  better  world.  One 
of  the  most  significant  and  affecting 
sights  in  our  modern  burial  grounds 
is  the  constantly  recurring  sight  of 
the  cross,  surmounting  alike  the  gilded 
tomb  and  the  nameless  hillock ;  a 
fond  memento  of  what  has  been,  a 
cheering  prophecy  of  what  is  to  be. 
The  crosses  thus  set  up  over  the  dead 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  65 

were  called  mortuary  crosses.  Two 
of  them,  made  of  solid  gold,  adorned 
with  precious  stones,  and  weighing  a 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  each,  were 
placed  upon  the  supposed  sepulchres 
of  Peter  and  Paul  —  emphatically  con- 
trasting their  posthumous  honors 
with  their  living  poverty,  toil,  and 
deserted  martyrdom.  In  the  defiles 
of  the  Alps,  and  among  the  mountain 
passes  of  Spain  and  South  America, 
the  traveller  encounters  thousands  of 
these  rude  crosses,  each  one  comme- 
morating the  spot  where  some  poor 
wayfarer  has  perished,  either  by  acci- 
dent, or  from  the  bandit's  knife.  As 
he  passes  by  these  frail  mementoes  of 
sudden  mishap,  or  of  murderous  wrath, 
he  is  expected  to  breathe  a  silent 

5 


66  HISTORY   OF  THE 

prayer  in  the  name  of  Christ  for  the 
hapless  victim  whose  fate  overtook 
him  there. 

It  would  leave  too  prominent  a 
defect  in  this  sketch  of  the  history  of 
the  Cross,  if  we  did  not  allude  to  its 
public  adoption  among  the  belligerent 
nations  of  Christendom,  its  emblazonry 
upon  the  standards  and  weapons  of 
war.  In  the  beginning  of  the  fourth 
century,  when  Christianity,  not  yet 
acknowledged  by  any  secular  autho- 
rity, was  struggling  with  a  precarious 
existence,  Constantine,  hesitating  whe- 
ther to  proclaim  allegiance  to  the 
many  gods  of  the  old  religion  or  to 
the  one  God  of  the  new,  marched  at 
the  head  of  a  large  army  against 
Maxentius.  All  was  uncertainty  and 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  67 

hazard  before  his  path,  and  all  was 
indecision  and  anxiety  within  his  soul. 
Suddenly,  as  it  is  related,  there  ap- 
peared before  him  in  the  mid-heaven 
a  beaming  cross  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion, "  Conquer  by  this."  He  said  the 
Saviour  told  him  in  a  dream  the  en- 
suing night,  to  lift  the  figure  of  that 
cross  and  its  motto  upon  his  banners, 
and  it  should  lead  the  way  to  inva- 
riable victory.  It  was  done.  The 
first  unhappy  union  of  Church  and 
State  was  sealed  and  the  faith  of  the 
despised  Gallilean,  who  had  not  where 
to  lay  his  head,  began  to  be  courted 
by  princes,  began  to  be  installed  in 
palaces.  The  publication  of  this  vision 
and  command,  we  must  suppose,  was 
either  the  result  of  a  deep  stroke  of 


68  HISTORY  *OF  THE 

policy  or  the  deception  of  a  heated 
fancy  on  the  part  of  the  emperor. 
The  plan,  however,  was  crowned  with 
visible  success ;  but  as  they  marched 
beneath  the  mystic  Labarum  to  suc- 
cessive triumphs,  they  trampled  under 
their  feet  at  every  step,  violated  with 
every  blow,  and  insulted  with  every 
shout,  the  person,  spirit,  cross,  and 
commandments  of  him  their  lips  called 
Lord.  For  that  meek  sufferer,  abjur- 
ing all  violence,  refused  to  pray  to  his 
Father  for  twelve  legions  of  angels, 
who,  in  an  instant,  would  have  gladly 
stooped  from  heaven  with  swords  of 
fire  to  sweep  away  his  foes  —  but  he 
refused. 

Centuries  after  the  bones  of  Con- 
stantine  had  crumbled  to  dust,  the 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  69 

example  he  had  thus  set  was  followed 
on  a  stupendous  scale  in  the  Crusades, 
or  Holy  Wars,  falsely  so  called. 
Europe  shook  beneath  the  tread  of 
warriors  mustering  to  the  sign  of  the 
Crucified  hoisted  on  their  standards. 
As  they  marched  towards  Palestine  to 
fight  the  Saracens,  each  soldier  bore  a 
red  cross  broidered  on  his  shoulder. 
The  most  frightful  barbarities  and 
carnage  ensued,  and  continued  year 
after  year.  These  horrible  scenes 
were  enacted  in  the  very  name,  and 
under  the  shelter  of  the  cross,  of  him 
who  said,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this 
world ;  if  it  were,  then  would  my 
servants  fight."  Among  these  per- 
versions of  the  symbol  of  the  religion 
of  the  prince  of  peace,  the  device  on 


70  HISTORY   OF   THE 

the  fearful  banner  of  the  Spanish 
Inquisition  is  worthy  of  notice.  It 
was  a  knotty  cross,  with  an  olive 
branch  on  one  side,  and  a  dagger  on 
the  other.  In  the  modern  wars  of 
nominal  Christendom,  the  sacred  cross 
had  been  frequently  seen  reared  on 
both  sides  at  once,  and  the  banners 
that  bore  it  bathed  in  each  other's 
blood  by  the  worshippers  of  a  common 
Saviour.  The  wickedness  of  man,  not 
content  with  once  slaughtering  the 
great  High  Priest,  must  keep  the  cross 
freshly  stained  with  his  divine  blood 
renewedly  shed ! 

"  Alas  that  Christians  should  have  e'er  unfurled 
This  glorious  sign,  save  as  betokening  peace, 
That  where  it  flew,  there  war  and  strife  should  cease 
Till  Christ's  pacific  empire  filled  the  world ! 
But  ah,  heneath  this  banner  hath  been  hurled 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  71 

Hell's  worst  artillery,  death's  most  cruel  darts  : 
Revenge  and  rage  have  played  their  murderous  parts 
On  battle  gun-ships  where  the  smoke  up-curled 
Its  odious  shadow  and  foul  stain  to  cast 
O'er  the  crossed  flags  that  floated  from  the  mast. 
Oh,  when  shall  come  the  blest,  long-looked  for  time, 
When,  where  this  ensign  floats  on  land  or  sea, 
There,  Jesus !  shall  thy  Gospel  reign  sublime, 
And  all  who  own  thy  cross  shall  worship  thee !" 

Among  the  former  habits  of  the 
warlike  clans  of  Scotland  was  a  wild 
picturesque  custom,  in  case  of  invasion, 
or  other  national  crisis,  to  transmit  a 
Fiery  Cross,  blazing  from  its  three 
upper  points,  over  the  hills  and  glens, 
from  tribe  to  tribe.  With  incredible 
swiftness  the  country  was  awakened 
and  united  to  repel  the  danger.  So, 
we  devoutly  trust,  in  some  future  age 
a  time  shall  come  when  the  thrilling 
sign  of  the  cross,  in  its  true  meaning 


72  HISTORY   OF  THE 

and  power,  passed  from  disciple  to  dis- 
ciple, and  from  land  to  land,  shall 
arouse  the  world  to  roll  back  the  ag- 
gression of  evil,  and  fulfil  the  requi- 
sitions of  universal  duty,  to  destroy 
the  wretched  hosts  of  wrong,  and 
unite  mankind  in  one  faithful  and 
happy  band  of  brothers.  God  grant 
the  help  of  his  Spirit  to  the  prayers 
and  labors  of  good  men  to  establish 
his  kingdom  on  earth;  and  to  that 
end  let  the  Cross  of  Christ  be  borne 
aloft,  once  more,  and  for  the  last  time, 
as  the  rallying  standard  of  a  nobler 
crusade,  which  shall  summon  all  right- 
eous and  devout  souls,  not  to  the  deliv- 
erance of  an  empty  and  supposititious 
sepulchre,  by  barbarous  force,  but  to 
the  redemption  of  the  living  and 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  73 

bleeding  body  itself  of  our  Lord,  by 
the  peaceful  conquests  of  truth  and 
virtue  over  error  and  sin,  of  piety  and 
happiness  over  unbelief  and  misery, 
of  brotherhood,  equality  and  freedom, 
over  hatred,  pride  and  slavery,  of 
heavenly  harmony  over  infernal  dis- 
cord, and  of  a  glorious  immortality 
over  death. 

In  tracing  down  the  lineal  history 
of  the  Cross,  we  must  notice  that  its 
fate  in  Japan  forms  a  dark  episode, 
and  emphasizes  an  important  moral. 
The  early  labors  of  the  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries in  that  flourishing  and  popu- 
lous empire  were  attended  by  remark- 
able success.  With  proverbial  cun- 
ning adapting  the  externals  of  their 
system  closely  to  those  of  the  pre- 


74  HISTORY   OF   THE 

vailing  religion  of  the  land,  they 
made  converts  by  thousands  through 
the  astonishing  wisdom,  intrepidity, 
indomitable  energy,  self-sacrifice  and 
zeal  they  displayed.  Having  risen 
to  great  consideration  and  influence, 
they  began  to  take  part  in  political 
affairs,  and  finally  united  in  a  reso- 
lute attempt  to  possess  themselves 
of  the  government  of  the  country, 
which  they  very  nearly  succeeded  in 
doing.  The  unconverted  portion  of 
the  Japanese,  aroused  by  this  apparent 
treachery  and  incipient  effort  to  wrest 
all  their  rights  from  them,  rose  upon 
the  missionaries  and  their  adherents, 
slew  great  numbers  of  them  and  ban- 
ished the  rest.  Since  that  time  the 
Buddhists  of  Japan  have  looked  upon 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  75 

every  sign  of  Christianity,  especially 
upon  the  Cross,  with  inveterate  hate 
and  undissembled  horror.  Annually 
they  trample  that  object  beneath  their 
feet  with  rage  and  scorn  in  the  tem- 
ples and  in  the  streets.  Its  sign  is 
stamped  on  the  quay  of  the  only  port 
Christians  are  allowed  to  enter,  where 
every  one  who  lands  steps  upon  it. 
That  empire  probably  will  be  the  last 
in  the  world  to  bow  to  the  sceptre  of 
Jesus.  When  Christian  missionaries 
use  sophistry,  concealment  and  deceit, 
engage  in  treasonous  plots,  employ 
violence  to  secure  their  ends,  how 
much  more,  in  the  long  run,  they  lose 
than  they  can  gain  !  How  painful  it 
is  to  think  of  the  causes  of  the  pres- 
ent fate  and  prospects  of  the  Cross  in 


76  HISTORY   OF   THE 

that  crowded  island,  so  blessed  and 
choice  with  beauties  in  clime  and  soil, 
so  benighted  and  bigoted  in  creed 
and  policy ! 

One  of  the  most  frequent  and  strik- 
ing uses  the  cross  was  formerly  put 
to,  was  the  neutralizing  of  spells,  the 
casting  out  of  evil  spirits,  and  the 
working  of  other  kindred  magical  ef- 
fects. It  was  supposed  that  before 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  all  wicked  charms 
were  instantly  reversed,  all  demons 
exorcised,  all  the  wiles  of  hell  baffled, 
and  that  the  devil  himself,  reminded 
thereby  of  his  fatal  overthrow  on  Cal- 
vary, fled.  The  old  Christian  writers 
are  full  of  miracles  wrought  by  the 
simple  making  of  this  sign.  Many  of 
these  legends  are  as  beautiful  as  they 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  77 

are  marvellous ;  others  are  ludicrous, 
or  coarse,  or  terriffic.  It  is  remarka- 
ble, how  every  superstitious  belief  or 
custom  is  underlaid  and  informed,  as 
it  was  probably  originated,  by  a  pro- 
found spiritual  verity  and  moral.  In 
the  present  instance  the  miraculous 
efficacy  of  the  sign  of  the  cross  in 
vanquishing  infernal  powers,  should 
be  to  us  a  symbol  of  the  power  of 
truth  and  love  over  evil  —  of  faith 
and  piety  over  the  sorrows  of  the 
flesh  and  the  temptations  of  the  world. 
Let  the  token  of  purity  be  seen,  and 
lust  cowers  and  hides  itself:  before 
the  manifest  token  of  forgiveness  and 
love  how  quickly  anger  and  hatred 
fly !  At  the  sign  of  truth  and  good- 
ness error  and  sin  disappear.  The 


78  HISTORY   OF   THE 

sign  of  the  cross  banishes  Satan.  And 
though  we  trust  not  the  letter  of  the 
tale,  we  are  awed  by  the  sublimity  of 
the  doctrine  which  looks  yet  to  see 
that  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  heav- 
en, and  on  a  scale  so  vast  that  it  shall 
be  visible  to  the  whole  universe  when 
the  stars  are  falling,  and  the  elements 
melting,  and  Death  and  Hell  with  all 
their  victims  shall  gaze  on  it  and  on 
Him  whom  they  pierced,  and  shall 
flee  away,  and  no  place  be  found  for 
them. 

"Jesus  of  Nazareth,  king  of  the 
Jews."  When  Pilate  wrote  this  in- 
scription, and,  saying,  "  What  I  have 
written  I  have  written,"  ordered  it  to 
be  placed  on  the  cross  of  Christ  over 
his  head,  he  little  dreamed  it  would 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  79 

one  day  be  repeated  through  the 
world,  not  as  mockery,  but  as  loyalty. 
But  so  it  is,  and  the  fact  preaches 
more  loudly  than  thunders  of  the 
folly  and  madness  of  opposing  the  in- 
tentions of  God,  the  cause  of  truth 
and  man.  The  most  astonishing  and 
inspiring  page  in  the  annals  of  time, 
is  the  page  which  recounts  the  tri- 
umphs of  this  instrument,  once  the 
symbol  of  all  that  is  ignominious,  now 
of  all  that  is  divine  and  enduring. 
Among  the  mountains  of  Auvergne 
stands  an  altar  of  heathen  worship,  a 
Druid  rocking  stone  overgrown  with 
moss  and  age,  surmounted  by  a  rude 
Cross,  probably  a  thousand  years  old. 
No  traveller  passes  it  without  emotion 
and  thought.  It  is  at  once  a  memo- 


80  HISTORY    OF   THE 

rial  of  the  past  conquests  of  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ  crucified  over  the 
pagan  faiths,  and  a  prophecy  of  its 
future  reign  without  a  rival.  A  still 
more  emphatic  emblem  of  the  destined 
universality  of  the  empire  of  Christi- 
anity was  afforded  by  the  sceptre  of 
Theodosius.  It  was  a  globe  crowned 
by  a  cross,  meant  to  represent  the  earth 
subdued  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  The 
same  symbol,  we  believe,  is  always 
placed  in  the  hand  of  a  monarch  of 
Great  Britain  at  his  coronation,  and 
was  held  by  the  present  Queen  during 
that  cremony.  But  not  only  has  the 
Cross  climbed  to  the  tops  of  altars, 
the  domes  of  temples,  the  spires  of 
churches,  to  proclaim  its  triumph.  It 
has  also  ascended  into  the  sky,  and 
there,  as 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  81 

"  Of  man's  redemption  autograph  supreme, 
Is  fitly  charactered  by  stars  in  heaven." 

In  the  southern  firmament  is  a  well 
known  constellation,  composed  of  five 
large  stars  located  in  a  cruciform  shape, 
called  "The  Cross  of  the  South." 
From  that  splendid  spot  in  the  heav- 
ens it  looks  down  upon  the  earth  and 
preaches  the  resurrection  and  deifica- 
tion of  Christ  and  of  the  cause  for 
which  he  gave  his  life.  There  the  sign 
of  the  Son  of  Man  is  seen  in  heaven. 
And  far  beyond  it  Jesus  himself  lives, 
and  reigns,  and  invites  his  followers  to 
come  unto  him.  In  Dante's  ascent 
through  the  successive  spheres  of  Par- 
adise, in  the  fifth  heaven  he  saw  the 
souls  of  those  who  had  gloriously  died 
for  the  faith,  ranged  in  the  sign  of  a 

6 


82  HISTORY   OF  THE 

cross,  athwart  which,  spirits,  like  scin- 
tillating lights,  met  and  passed  to  the 
sound  of  a  melodious  hymn.  The 
religious  imagination  here  finds  still 
another  application  of  the  words, 
"  The  sign  of  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
appear  in  heaven." 

A  few  words  more  must  bring  these 
feeble  illustrations  of  a  vast,  solemn, 
and  gladdening  theme  to  a  close. 
Originally,  the  prominent  aspect  of 
the  cross  was  its  inexpressible  cruelty 
and  injustice.  It  was  the  most  appall- 
ing tragedy  ever  enacted  amidst  the 
darkened  heavens  and  the  shuddering 
earth  by  the  unfeeling  sin  of  man. 
And  yet  what  good,  what  unbounded 
and  eternal  good,  has  flowed  from  it ! 
It  is  the  greatest  illustration  given  by 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  83 

history  of  the  marvellous  providence 
of  God,  how  it  educes  good  from  evil, 
and  converts  even  the  wrath  of  man 
to  praise.  It  was  horror,  agony, 
and  fear  a  few  moments ;  it  is  bless- 
ing, power,  and  sanctification  forever. 
A  worthy  treatise,  anything  like  an 
adequate  portrayal  of  the  effects  of 
the  crucifixion,  is  yet  to  be  written. 
The  influence  of  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus 
in  drawing  attention  to  his  religion 
and  aiding  in  its  diffusion ;  its  influ- 
ence in  softening,  purifying,  and 
strengthening  the  sympathies  of  the 
human  heart ;  its  influence  in  awaken- 
ing, rectifying,  enthroning  the  moral 
conscience ;  its  influence  in  quicken- 
ing the  spiritual  aspirations  and  loves 
of  the  soul,  creating  true  piety ;  its 


84  HISTORY    OF   THE 

resulting  influence  in  reforming,  re- 
fining, advancing  civilization,  and  in 
other  respects,  have  effected  results 
which  otherwise,  in  all  human  proba- 
bility would  not  have  been  secured, 
and  which,  in  value  and  amount  are 
well  nigh  incalculable.  The  actual 
good  effects  traceable  specifically  to 
the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  infinitely 
outweigh  all  the  evil  connected  with 
it.  In  its  revealed  meaning  and  pow- 
er, it  has  conferred  upon  unnumbered 
thousands  as  much  comfort  and  joy  as 
it  originally  inflicted  sorrow  and  pain 
upon  one.  The  bearing  of  his  own 
cross  by  the  Saviour  as  our  example, 
has  consoled  and  inspired  millions  to 
bear  their  crosses  with  a  peaceful  joy, 
a  divine  resignation,  an  all  suffering 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  85 

faith  and  love  towards  God,  and  an 
undoubting  hope  of  heaven,  which 
they  would  not  have  known  were  it 
not  written,  "And  they  took  Jesus 
and  led  him.  away ;  and  he,  bearing 
his  cross,  went  forth."  And  who  will 
undertake  to  estimate  the  power,  the 
softening,  spiritualizing  power,  that 
has  gone  forth,  and  will  go  forth  more 
and  more  through  all  coming  ages, 
from  the  Prayer  of  the  Cross.  "  Fath- 
er, forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do."  Poor  spurned  out- 
cast, unpitied  victim  of  injustice,  sor- 
rowful and  weary  sufferer,  go 

"  Weigh  thy  grief  with  the  cross 
Of  Christ,  and  see  which  is  the  heavier." 

If  the  Cross  of  Christ  could  be  oblite- 
rated from  the  history  of  the  world 


86  HISTORY   OF   THE 

as  if  the  crucifixion  had  never  been, 
the  most  blessed  and  powerful  influ- 
ence ever  exerted  upon  the  heart  of 
humanity  would  be  destroyed.  The 
history  of  the  Cross  teaches  us,  as  no 
other  history  can  teach,  that  God,  the 
Father,  orders  and  overrules  all  things, 
making  light  follow  darkness,  good 
spring  out  of  evil,  Christendom  come 
from  the  Crucifixion. 

The  members  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church  have  always  cherished, 
sanctified  and  revered  the  Cross  al- 
most to  idolatry.  They  have  used  it 
as  a  spiritual  symbol  and  power  in  a 
thousand  ways,  frequently  with  ex- 
ceeding beauty,  solemn  majesty,  irre- 
sistible pathos  and  the  best  effects. 
The  whole  history  of  their  Church, 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  87 

exterior  and  interior,  gathers  around 
it.  Inexpressible  associations  cling 
about  it ;  volumes  of  legends  are  con- 
nected with  it.  It  has  attended  the 
travels,  prominently  marked  the  rites 
and  crowned  the  altars  of  all  their 
missionaries.  It  has  gleamed  like  a  ray 
from  heaven  before  the  eyes  of  their 
dying.  It  is  carried,  costly  enough 
to  ransom  empires,  before  the  Pope  in 
gorgeous  processions.  It  is  placed, 
rude  and  humble  and  unattractive  to 
the  senses,  in  lonely  cells  where  it 
awakens  thrills  of  awe  and  delight  in 
the  bosoms  of  poor  monks. 

In  the  far-off  isle  of  San  Shan  sleep 
the  ashes  of  Francis  Xavier,  and  his 
simple  but  magnificent  epitaph  is 
crowned  by  a  humble  cross,  to  which 


88  HISTORY   OP   THE 

pilgrimages  are  made,  and  where 
irrepressible  tears  are  shed.  On  the 
banks  of  the  Penobscot  and  of  the 
Mississippi,  in  Florida  and  Newfound- 
land, in  Mexico  and  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  amid  the  icy  wastes  of 
Scythia,  on  the  balmy  islands  of  the 
tropical  ocean,  and  in  the  central  re- 
cesses of  China,  the  pathetic  linea- 
ments of  the  Cross  tell  the  traveller 
that  there  reposes  some  martyred 
brother  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  The 
orphan,  the  widow,  the  sick  and  af- 
flicted, the  beggar,  the  wretched  out- 
cast and  sinner  have  found  consolation, 
strength  and  peace  in  it,  when  there 
was  no  other  comfort  for  them.  Words- 
worth speaks  of  its  effect  upon  him 
when  displayed  in  the  annual  cere- 
monies of  the  Church. 


CROSS   OF   CHRIST.  89 

"  Mine  ear  has  rung,  my  spirit  sunk  subdued, 
Sharing  the  strong  emotion  of  the  crowd, 
When  each  pale  brow  to  dread  hosannas  bowed, 
While  clouds  of  incense  mounting,  veiled  the  rood 
That  glimmered  like  a  pine-tree  dimly  viewed 
Through  Alpine  vapors.    Such  appalling  rite 
Our  Church  prepares  not,  trusting  to  the  might 
Of  simple  truth  with  grace  divine  imbued  ; 
Yet  will  we  not  conceal  the  precious  Cross, 
Like  men  ashamed  :  the  Sun,  with  his  first  smile 
Shall  greet  that  symbol  crowning  the  low  pile : 
And  the  fresh  air  of  incense-breathing  morn 
Shall  wooingly  embrace  it ;  and  green  moss 
Creep  round  its  arms  through  centuries*  unborn." 

Though  it  may  be  true  that  the  Cath- 
olics have  abused  the  Cross  by  gross 
superstitions,  it  must  be  confessed  in 
their  hands  it  is  clothed  with  an  af- 
fecting power  which,  in  different 
ways,  is  calculated  to  touch  the 
deepest  springs  of  devotion,  melt 
the  hard  heart,  and  animate  the  spir- 


90  HISTORY   OF   THE 

itual  mind.  Protestants,  in  their  re- 
vulsion, went  altogether  too  far,  threw 
away  some  of  the  tenderest,  most  effi- 
cacious and  hallowed  methods  of 
Christian  influence.  Since  we,  there- 
fore, unimaginative,  unspiritual  de- 
scendants of  the  Puritans,  have  not 
these  outward  incitements,  and  are 
not  likely,  in  our  hard  and  literal 
worldliness  to  adopt  them,  let  us  deep- 
ly stamp  in  our  souls,  and  carry  there, 
the  sign  of  the  Cross,  an  ever-present 
memento,  pleading  with  us  to  be  mind- 
ful of  the  claims  of  Him  who  loved 
us  and  gave  himself  for  us  that  we 
might  be  reconciled  to  God.  Let  his 
spiritual  image  be  formed  in  us ;  his 
truth  and  love,  his  self-sacrifice  and 
heavenly-mindedness ;  then  will  the 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  91 

bearing  of  his  cross  be  our  pride,  and 
perseverance  in  his  service  be  its  own 
exceeding  great  reward. 

As  a  Christian  traveller  was  roam- 
ing one  morning  among  the  valleys 
of  the  Alps,  he  saw,  planted  upon  a 
frowning  cliff,  just  above  him,  a  hum- 
ble cross,  around  which  Nature  had, 
with  the  most  touching  beauty  and 
significance,  twined  a  blooming  cluster 
of  forget-me-nots.  At  that  moment 
the  ascending  sun  sent  its  beams  full 
upon  the  spot.  The  effect  was  singu- 
larly striking — the  dark  wood,  the 
grey  rock,  the  green  vine,  the  painted 
flowers,  all  bathed  in  the  rich  golden 
light.  He  knelt  down  and  poured  out 
his  soul  in  communion  with  God  and 
heaven.  The  scene  before  him  seem- 


92  HISTORY   OF   THE 

ed  to  say  with  audible  voice,  as  if 
Jesus  himself  were  saying,  "  Forget 
me  not,  forget  not  me  who  suffered 
and  died  for  you  ;  remember  and  love 
me,  as  I  have  remembered  and  loved 
you."  0,  who  would  not  spontaneous- 
ly reply  to  such  an  appeal,  "Dear 
Saviour,  never  will  I  forget  thee ;  I 
will  remember  thee,  love  thee,  obey 
thee,  and  pray  that  thou  wilt  accept 
me,  forgiving  my  un worthiness  ! "  The 
cross  of  Christ  wreathed  with  forget- 
me-nots  !  Let  such  an  affecting  sym- 
bol be  set  up  in  the  hearted  memo- 
ry of  every  one  who  hopes  hereafter 
to  meet  him.  "  He  that  taketh  not 
his  cross  and  followeth  after  me,  is  not 
worthy  of  me."  Christian,  bear  thy 
cross  in  a  patient,  cheerful  spirit  of 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  93 

faith  and  love,  and  it  shall  grow 
lighter  and  lighter  till  it  bears 
thee — bears  thee  up  to  heaven,  where, 
instead  of  it,  Christ  shall  give  thee  a 
crown. 


94  mSTORY   OF   THE 


"  O  glorious  Cross  !    Eternity  and  Time 
Meet  on  this  pillar  of  the  truth  of  God : 
There,  Justice  wields  heaven's  sin-avenging  rod — 
There,  Mercy  hleeds  for  man's  stupendous  crime  : 
O,  glorious  Cross  !  when  shall  this  truth  sublime — 
That  He  who  died  upon  that  altar  lives 
Above,  and  prays  for  man :  that  power  he  gives 
To  all  who  pray  through  him  that  they  may  climb, 
O  glorious  Cross  !  up  towards  the  Father's  throne — 
O,  when  shall  this  high  truth  to  every  heart 
Grace,  joy,  salvation,  Christian  life  impart, 
And  all  mankind  seek  bliss  in  that  alone  1 
O,  glorious  Cross  !  Faith  trusts  the  day  to  see, 
When  Hope  shall  turn  all  eyes,  Love  draw  all  hearts 
to  thee." 


CROSS    OF   CHRIST.  95 


Immortal 

Christ,  I  pray 

To  thee : 

Oh,    say 

To  me, 

Sweet    Jesus,  that    thou    wilt    abode    take  up 
With  me  when  I  have  cleansed  my  sinful  heart ; 
And  when  I  taste    thy    sacramental  cup 
Still  whisper  that    thou  never  wilt  depart. 
Oh    Lord, 
I   kneel 
Thy  word 
To     feel ; 
My     grief 
Doth     see 
Belief 
In     Thee, 
And  while 
I  weep, 
Thy  smile 
Doth  keep 

My  soul  in  cheer. 
And  falling  here, 
God's  heaven  is  near. 


SHf 


